1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a power semiconductor module. The inventive power semiconductor module comprises a housing for mounting directly or indirectly on a heat sink and at least one electrically insulated substrate disposed in it. This substrate in turn comprises an insulation body with a plurality of metal connection tracks located on it and insulated from one another, and power semiconductor components located on the connection tracks and connected to the connection tracks with appropriate wiring. Advantageously, the substrate, on its underside, has a flat metal layer that is comparable to the connection tracks. Such power semiconductor modules moreover have terminal elements for load and auxiliary contacts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known power semiconductor modules are shown for example in German Patent Disclosure DE 42 37 632 A1 and German Patent DE 196 30 173 C2. Such power semiconductor modules have terminal elements, at least some of which are embodied as contact springs, for connecting the connection tracks of the substrate to external terminals. These contact springs are disposed in the power semiconductor module in such a way that they mimic the terminal occupation in the interior of the substrate to the external terminals.
A disadvantage of the prior art described above is that the external terminal occupation is thus specified directly by the internal terminal occupation. External wiring, such as driver circuits, must therefore be adapted to the specific internal terminal occupation of the power semiconductor module.
German Patent Disclosure DE 100 25 696 A1, for example, discloses a power semiconductor module with a printed circuit board disposed perpendicularly to the substrate. This printed circuit board is disposed with one portion inside and with another portion outside the power semiconductor module and thus forms the terminal elements of this power semiconductor module.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the external terminal occupation is once again fixed by the location of the printed circuit board.